


Childhood Dreams

by ImmortalOddLover



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Child Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Childhood Dreams, Gen, Gladiator (Final Fantasy XIV), Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Paladin Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Seeker of the Sun, Ul'dah (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26292658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImmortalOddLover/pseuds/ImmortalOddLover
Summary: Just a sweet nothing about my WoL/RP-Character as a child.His First Visit of Ul'dah to be more precise. Read and enjoy <3





	Childhood Dreams

Motionless he stands under the Gate of Nald. Carriages and people rush by him, the streets busy, as merchants, adventurers and other citizens pass the gate aside of him. The hot air bustles with voices, chocobo-kwehs, laughter and occasionally the sound of armour rustling when one of the guards shifts their position, watching over the uncaring folk.   
The young tanned Miqo’te takes a deep breath. His nearly purple but still dark red colored hair glowing in the sunlight, his fluffy tail curling behind him as he can only stand and watch in amazement. 

“Hey you! Move!” He hears a harsh voice behind him ripping him out of his stupor. 

“S- sorry,” he mumbles under his breath, quickly stepping aside and into the city as his mismatched eyes search for his mother. Everything is busy and big and… just so big. With wide eyes he watches people moving around, his sensitive ears twitching as he takes in all the noises, cat-like eyes rapidly springing from one scene to another to take it all in. Taking another deep breath, he looks around as his ears catch the laughter of his mother. Quickly he moves into her direction, taking her hand again which he uncarefully let go off earlier. 

“Stunned by the city?” she asks teasingly, running her free hand through his long burgundy hair, her packages dropped of beside them in the shadows. 

“It’s so big! And busy!” he exclaims, his eyes shining as he looks around again, a bright smile on his lips as his ears keep turning into different directions. “So many people… Do they all live here?” he asks curiously, keeping looking around. The blond Miqo’te besides him laughs again, clearly amused and happy about his curiosity. Her eyes are shining in the sunlight matching the golden color of the boys left one, while his other glows in a light pinkish red.

“He likes the city?” a smooth male voice asks, as another blond haired Miqo’te joins them, carrying large sacks on his back, huffing as he places them down besides them in the shadows. Not caring for the adult’s conversation the boy keeps looking around, fascinated by the different kinds of voices, wares and clothes he sees. A’lizha nods to the other man, keeping one eye on her son to make sure he doesn’t run off as she turns towards him.

“What took you so long?” she asks in a more serious tone, smiling as she sees her boy looking curiously at the shield of a guard nearby. The male Miqo’te sighs.

“They were making sure we were no Garlean spies. Even Ul’dah is a lot more suspicious these days. But since we were here often before and never caused trouble…” he shrugs, grimacing. “I really don’t know if we should stay overnight. I think it’d be best to trade our stuff fast and leave before night falls. We can camp in an inn outside, it’s cheaper anyways.” He looks down at the boy. “And our young Vhida here can still see Ul’dah with all her lights on,” he laughs, ruffling the boy’s hair, as he turns around at the mention of his name.

“With lights?” The eight-year-old tilts his head. “You mean it glows in the dark?” he asks, his eyes widening at the thought. The man nods, grinning at his expression. “Woaah, that’d be so cool!” he answers cheerfully, looking to his mother as if he waits for her approval. She chuckles light-heartedly and nods towards him, then at A’jhun.   
The young boy let’s out a cheer as he looks at them expectantly. 

“Not now,” she laughs, “first,” she kneels down and holds a finger up in front of his face, “we need to trade all of our stuff at the market. But if you’re a good boy and help your Ma you may even get an ice-cream afterwards.” 

“Ice… cream?” his ears twitch at the foreign word while his face lights up with curiosity.

“Yes, ice-cream,” A’jhun nods then lifts the two heaviest sacks on his shoulders again. “Now stay close to us and grab some of the leather to carry it,” he tells the boy, his back slouching a little under their weight.   
A’vhida nods and goes to grab two smaller bags as his mother takes the other ones, then his hand. He follows them his eyes still wandering around, eying all of the new and different kind of people and things he never saw before. 

“Maa, what’s ice-cream?” his voice can be heard as the small group makes their way towards the Sapphire Avenue, vanishing in the crowd.

“Boooring…” Vhida sighs as he sits beside his mother in the shadows, watching the adults talking with strangers to trade animal hides and tea against other wares and gil. Watching strangers had been awesome at first but soon there wasn’t much more to discover, especially since he had to sit still in the shadows as it got hotter and hotter. Bored, he blows a lose stray of hair out of his face, the light blond of it contrasting against his otherwise burgundy hair. Nothing spectacular happened aside from some woman throwing a scene at some guy about something he didn’t understand, but it was quickly brushed aside. Wiggling his toes, he sighs again as he watches the people go by, looking sideways to see how much stuff they still need to trade, sighing heavily, again, as he feels it’s still way too much. Startled he looks up as he feels a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. 

“I’m sorry you can’t wander around,” his mother kneels down beside him and he looks at her with wide eyes. “The city is too big; you would get lost and also there are bad people here.”   
Her tone is gentle but worried as she looks into his eyes. 

“Bad people?” he asks with wide eyes. “You mean people who would hurt me?” She nods to him, a serious look on her face. 

“But why would they?” he asks, tilting his head. She sighs as he looks at the passer-by. 

“Because,” she takes a moment to think, “because there are some people who would probably like to take you away from us, or hurt you, for their own reasons.” The young boy looks up at her with his mis-matched eyes, furrowing his eyebrows, clearly thinking over her words, then nods. 

“I still don’t understand why?” he asks carefully, too innocent to understand the motives of criminals. She hums in thought as she thinks again. 

“Because some people value money over life and put their own above others” she then answers carefully. 

“But…” he frowns, “that’s wrong, isn’t it?” the young boy asks immediately, looking at her confused. She carefully nods, then continues to speak. 

“It is, that’s is why so many of those people are walking around here” she points in the direction of a Brass Blade, patrolling the market, lazily watching over the people there. Vhida looks at the guard, nodding then furrows his brows as he looks at her again. 

“What’s the plate he’s carrying around?” he asks blankly. 

“You mean the shield?” she asks. “It’s another fighting style, it’s for protection,” she explains. The young Miqo’te hums in agreement then his eyes widen. 

“Do they wear so much metal because of that too?” he asks, grinning as his mother nods again. 

“Now, if you are patient for a while longer, you’ll get a treat,” she smiles at him before straightening up. “And…” she shifts her posture. “As long as you stay in sight you may wander a little. But,” she looks sternly at him, “don’t accept food, don’t go with anyone and don’t go too far away and scream if someone tries to hurt you.” With wide eyes he nods, then springs to his feet. 

“So I can look at the other market peoples stuff?” he asks energetically, his ears twitching in joy as she nods at him. 

“You’re the best Ma!” he exclaims before running across the street, wanting to look at the glittery stuff he’s seen before. His mother had turned around already, sighing, to speak with more customers as Vhida hits some resistance in his path. 

“Woah, careful there,” he hears a deep gentle voice, not falling as large, metal-cladded hands catches him. Slowly he looks up at a large Roegadyn man, wearing a shiny white blue armour, polished all the way down. He swallows as he looks at him. 

“S-Sorry. I was just so excited to look at all the stuff,” he then gets out, shyly looking at the armour and the large shield and sword he’s carrying, standing in his shadow. The man smiles at him then make sure he stands on his own before he let’s go. Staying down on eye-level to the boy he looks at him, noticing the look at his sword. 

“Just make sure to watch the street next time before you cross it. First time in Ul’dah? Where are your parents?” he asks carefully. 

“My Ma is just over there,” Vhida answers happily, pointing behind him. Turning around he sees his mother looking worried and bites his lip. The man in front of him looks too, then makes a gesture he can’t see towards the adults. His mother nods and smiles at him, giving Vhida an approving look before turning over again. Happily he looks up at the man again. 

“Thanks for catching me,” he says, “I’ll be less clumsy next time, I promise,” he grins at him, before his gaze wanders to the shield again. 

“Never seen one up close?” the man asks laughing a little, then pulls him a little to the side, out of the middle of the street. The young boy nods curiously then reaches out to touch it, stopping mid-motion as he realizes he probably shouldn’t. 

“C-Can I?” he asks, his eyes shining with delight as the tall man nods. Carefully he touches the metal, noticing it’s warm under his touch, looking closer at the glittering decorations as the man holds it out for him. “My name is A’vhida” he chirps happily at him, running his fingers over the ornaments carefully. 

“Well hello A’vhida. I’m a Paladin of Ul’dah,” the man smiles at him. 

“A paladin?” Vhida looks up curiously, looking at him. The man nods. 

“First visit to Ul’dah?” he asks again as he got no answer earlier, grinning as the boy nods. “Well,” he straightens up again, his shadow falling over the boy, “I have a boy your age at home. And if you’ve never been here before, ask your mother to show you the gladiators later. If you like that shield you probably like them too.” With wide eyes Vhida nods at him, listening carefully to remember it. “I have to go now, be more careful just as you promised,” the man grins at him, winks and then turns to leave. Vhida watches him go for a second, then makes a quick step to run over to his mother, stopping in his motions as he remembers, then carefully looks if the street is free before excitedly running over to her, his tail swishing behind him as he tells her what happened. 

It’s late in the afternoon as the small group walks through the halls of Ul’dah, each an ice-cream-cone in their hands, as Vhida hears the sounds of metal on metal, undermined by rough voices. His ears are turning in different directions trying to make out where the noises come from. Curiously he rushes his steps into the hall in front of them and looks around. Figuring the noises must come from there, the young boy walks over to an open door and peaks inside. His mouth agape, he can simply stare as he looks into the gladiator’s guild.   
A man and a woman are fighting against each other there. Their movements are fluid as their light armour moves with them as their swords and shields connect. Neither of them is backing down as their skin glistens with sweat. 

“Mind your footwork more,” he hears another voice, coming from an elderly man watching the duo spar. Cursing, the woman spins around as her attack is blocked again. The man laughs at her. 

“He is right, you have to be lighter on your feet,” he taunts her, then huffs, his arm shaking as he blocks her next attack. “Now don’t take your anger out on me” he whines light-heartedly. As she fights on fiercely, trying to break through his defences. While the attacks seem heavy, their feet dance lightly over the floor, shield and sword in different hands but always moved in unison. 

“Vhida?” he hears his mother calling but doesn’t move. Melted ice-cream runs over his hand as he’s frozen in place, his mouth agape, captured by their fight. He only looks up when he feels her hand on his shoulder. 

“Are those gladiators?” he asks her with awe on his voice. Furrowing her brow she nods at him, before smiling softly. 

“But they’re training, you don’t want to disturb them, don’t you?” She softly tries to pull him away. Hesitantly he let’s himself being pulled back a little, still staring. The elderly man must have noticed the young unknown voice as he glances over. As his eyes wander over the small Miqo’te boy he nods curtly at him, before turning his attention back to his students.  
“Vhida,” his mother calls his name again softly, pulling him back more insistently. He let’s himself be moved this time and then turns around to walk with them again, licking his ice-cream silently. They look at him a little concerned for a second but then shrug as they continue their path. As they reach the gate he finally looks up at them, his eyes shining with brightness and an wondrous expression on his face. 

“Ma? I want to become a gladiator.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that :3   
> When I have time I probably might continue his story, I'm just not sure if as WoL or RP-wise (though the latter makes more sense probably)  
> Hmu if you have questions or anything?
> 
> A big thanks to Nymphaeus who proof-read my work <3   
> Go and read his Fanfictions <3   
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymphaeus/pseuds/Nymphaeus


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